Support



P 1958 H. D. PETRl & 2,850,759

SUPPORT Filed Aug. 2. 1954 Z! 0 iNvENTORt,

I6 HECTOR D. FETR);

\& ATTORNEY.

Unite 2,85%,759 Patented Sept. ,9, 1958 3 Claims. (Cl. 1642) Thisinvention relates generally to.supp.orts, and has particular referenceto a supportingdevice formed. of resilient plastic.

The object of the invention is to provide a glide or foot formed of:resilient plastic having rneansior attachment to an aperture in a deviceto be supported.

A further object of the invention is to provide a glide for assemblyinto an aperture in an article to be supported which has means forabsorbing lateral shocks imparted thereto.

Other objects of the invention will, in part, be obvious, and will, inpart, appear hereinafter.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a view in elevation partly in section of a support embodyingthe features of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the support of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a bottom plan view of the support of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a view in section showing the first step in assembling thesupport into a drilled opening in the bottom of an article to besupported;

Fig. 5 is a view in section taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a view in section showing the support on the bottom of thearticle to be supported after completion of the assembly operation;

Fig. 7 is a view in section taken on line 77 of Fig. 6; and

Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig. 6 of the assembly, showing the abilityof the support to resist lateral forces.

Referring to the drawing, there is illustrated a supporting device 10,which is adapted for assembly into an opening 12 in an article 14 to besupported.

The article 14 may be an article of furniture, a television or radiocabinet, or any other device where the use of resilient supportingmembers is desirable to prevent marring of the surface on which thedevice rests.

The supporting device is preferably formed of a synthetic organicplastic which is both resilient and deformable, such as a polyethylene;however, in some cases more rigid materials, such as nylon, may be used.

The device 10 comprises a body portion 16 having a central aperture 18,a group of attaching legs 20 extending upwardly from the body about theaperture, and spacing means 21 extending upwardly from the body inlateral spaced relation to the attaching legs.

In the illustrated embodiment the legs 20 are formed by providing agenerally tubular member 22 projecting from the body with the bore 24thereof aligned with the aperture 18 of the body, and havinglongitudinal slots 26 extending from the end thereof. The presence ofthe slots 26 enable the ends of the legs 20 to flex together to enter anopening in an article to be supported which has a diameter less thanthat of the tubular member, there- States Patent nice by restricting theend portion of the bore 24 for a purpose to appear hereinafter.

To provide means for locking the legs 20 in the opening, an attachingpin 28 is associated therewith, and is drivable through the opening intoposition between the ends .of the arms-to force them into tightfrictional engagement with the Walls of the opening 12.

When the support is assembled into the opening, the spacing means 21bears against the bottom of the supported article 14, therebyspacingrthelower portion of the arms. from the-surface. of the article,and as illustrated inFig. 8 permittingclateral motion of the bodyportion relative to the article. by, reason of the flexibility of theylegs I The body 16.has .a broad, flat lower surface to provide lowcontact pressure :againsta surfaceagainst which it bears to avoidmarringthe surface, yetathefiexible, upa standing wall- 21 providesverticalresiliency; to serve as a shock absorber.

In the illustrated embodiment, the pin 28 has a length lessthanrthat ofthe :legs 2.0,sothatwhen the pin is driven.

into position between the. endssof the .legsuntil one end isadjacentvthenendsjtof;the. arms, -the;.other :end is disposedtinvspaced. relation to ,-,the,.-body, theapin ;,thereby avoids interferingwith the ability of the legs to flex during lateral shifting of thebody. In some cases, where a stiffer lateral action is desired, the pinmay be substan tially the same length as the legs.

In the illustrated embodiment the support is formed of a relativelydeformable and resilient plastic, and consequently it has been founddesirable for the pin to be disposed completely inside the body wherebythe walls of the aperture provide lateral support to the pin tofacilitate driving it into position between the arms.

Since certain other obvious changes may be made without departing fromthe scope of the invention it is intended that all matter containedherein be interpreted in an illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

I claim:

1. A support member for assembly into an opening in a device to besupported, said member being formed of resilient and deformable plasticand comprising a body portion having a broad, flat, lower face and acentrally positioned aperture formed therein, a resilient outerperipheral wall portion disposed around the periphery of the upper faceof said body portion and extending outwardly therefrom at substantiallyright angles thereto with the free end of said wall portion bearingagainst a surface of the device to be supported, said peripheral Wallportion being of substantially uniform thickness in cross section, innerexpansible means centrally disposed on the upper face of said bodyportion at right angles thereto and extending outwardly therefrom in thesame direction as said outer peripheral wall portion, and being inwardlyspaced from and in substantially parallel relationship to said outerwall portion, said expansible means having a central aperture which isin axial alignment with the aperture formed in said body portion, saidexpansible means having a vertical height greater than the verticalheight of said outer peripheral wall portion to enable same to enter anopening in the surface of the device to be supported.

2. A support member for assembly into an opening in a device to besupported, said member being formed of resilient and deformable plasticand comprising a body portion having a broad, flat, lower face and acentrally positioned aperture formed therein, a resilient outerperipheral wall portion disposed around the periphery of the upper faceof said body portion and extending outwardly therefrom at substantiallyright angles thereto, with the free end of said wall portion bearingagainst a surface of the device to be supported, said peripheral Wallportion being of substantially uniform thickness in cross section, aplurality of inner flexible leg portions centrally disposed on the upperface of said body portion and around the aperture formed therein to forma continuation of said aperture, said leg portions extending outwardlyfrom the upper face of said body portion in the same direction as saidouter wall portion, and being inwardly spaced from and in substantiallyparallel relationship to said outer wall portion, the verical height ofsaid leg portions being greater than the vertical height of the outerwall portion to enable same to enter an opening in the lower surface ofthe device to be supported.

3. A support assembly comprising a supported device having an apertureextending into the lower surface thereof, and a support member assembledtherewith, said support member being formed of resilient and deformableplastic and comprising a body portion having a broad, flat, lower faceand a centrally positioned aperture formed therein, a resilient outerperipheral wall portion disposed around the periphery of the upper faceof said body portion and extending upwardly therefrom at substantiallyright angles thereto, the free end of said outer wall portion bearingagainst the lower surface of the supported device, said pheripheral wallportion being of substantially uniform thickness in cross section, aplurality of inner flexible leg portions centrally disposed on the upperface of said body portion and around the aperture formed therein to forma continuation of said aperture, said leg portions extending upwardlyfrom the upper face of said body portion in the same direction as saidouter wall portion, and being inwardly spaced from and in substantiallyparallel relationship to said outer wall portion, said leg portionsextending above said outer wall portion and into the opening in thesupported device, and an attaching pin driven into position between thelegs, said attaching pin expanding said legs circumferentially andforcing them tightly against the internal wall of the opening in thesupported device.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,915,249 Jorgensen June 20, 1933 1,937,438 Schacht Nov. 28, 19331,978,249 Decarie Oct. 23, 1934 2,181,103 Davis Nov. 21, 1939 2,657,894Sklenar Nov. 3, 1953 FOREIGN PATENTS 843,743 Germany July 14, 1952

